Means for securing the strings of musical instruments



L. MAZZOCCOJ MEANS FOR SECURING THE STRINGS 0F MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-24, 1920.

JNVENTOR.

L Maizacco A i'TORNE Y.

Patented May16 1922.

- LE nnno MAZZOCCO, or LyNm-Mnssnorrosmv'rs.

MEANS FOR SEGURIN'G THE STRINGS OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 16, 1922.

Application filed August 24, 1920. Serial No. 405,777.

To aZZ 1072 0772 it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEANDRO MAzzoooo, a subject of the Kingof Italy, residing at Iiynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Means for Securing the Strings of Musical Instruments; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to means for securing the strings of musical instruments, and the object is to provide means especially adapted for retaining the strings of a violin under proper tension, after the tuning operation has been completed, so that assuming that the pegs do not slip, any change in the length of the strings, due to the weather, or other causes, will be automatically compensated for, thereby maintaining the pitch or tone for a long period.

A further object is to provide increased flexibility, permitting of greater facility in fingering the strings, and providing greater freedom of vibration.

A. further object is to provide means for securing the strings resiliently by providing springs ofdifierent tension for the several strings, with a view to'prolonging the life of the strings and increasing the volume, purity, and carrying power of the notes.

A. still further object is to provide a tailpiece, which may be of any suitable design, so far as general. construction is concerned, but which is provided with means whereby the strings are readily connected therewith, and with the resilient devices;

A still further object is to provide a tailpiece having a recessed portion within which the strings are mounted, or across which they are stretched, particular means being pro vided for retaining one end of each spring, and for guiding that end of the spring to which the string is attached. I

Vith the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of elements hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing 1 Figure 1 is a View of a tail-piece in bottom plan, with the springs in operative position. Figure 2 is a view in longitudinal sectlon.

Figure 3 detached.

Figured is a view of one end of the tailpiece showing the slotted portion through which the loop members formed on the sprlng are passed in assembling the device.

In carrying out my invention I employ a ta1l-piece 10 of any suitable construction, but provided with a recess 12 opening toward the lower side of the tail piece, the end wall 14 of the tail piece remaining intact but being provided with slots 15, for the purpose indicated below.

is a view of one of the springs,

The springs 16, 17,18 and 191 vary in size and preferably of the same piece of wire,

suitably flattened out, is a loop 23, of the form shown. Loop portions are passed through the slots 15 before mentioned, in assembling the device. The object in making the loop to which the string is attached, of

one piece with spring per se, is to avoid false vibration. This loop will be covered with a coating of rubber designated 24;, the spring being of steel.

o The tail piece maybe made of metal, wood, such as ebony, or of composition, and it is obvious that details of construction maybe varied within the scope of the appended claims.

n should be added thatwhen the string is under tension, the shank portion of the spring does not touch the edges of the slot in the end of the tail piece,but is absolutely free to vibrate. i I

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is i 1. In combination-with a tail piece of a musical instrument, a plurality of coil springs each having an eyelet, a securing pin common to said eyelets to connect the springs to the tail piece, and strings to which said springs are secured to function during action and when at rest.

2. In combination With a musical string, a spring to mount the same, and a sound insuhiting medium engaged by the string and disposed intermediate the string and spring.

In combination with a musical string a spring having an eyelet to which the string 

